WE TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO USE ART AS MEDICINE.

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Millions face trauma.
Almost none have access to help.

We train everyday people to provide First Aid for the Heart using simple, research-backed, creative tools.

WHY ART?

During a crisis, the survival brain takes over, and critical thinking goes offline.

The arts, drawing, music, writing, and movement, engage the senses in ways words cannot, helping reintegrate the brain.

This regulates the nervous system, cultivates healthy relationships, and increases self-awareness, ultimately preventing long-term trauma impacts and supporting healing.

Learn more

  • "Everyone talks about how mental health is important. But the question is, what do we do with the kids in the room. You've given us something to do."

    — Ukrainian teacher

  • "We have seen horrible things. Unimaginable. But I have had an insight. Life is still beautiful."

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  • "I have gained communication and teamwork skills. I pass on my knowledge to my son and husband. We even introduced a daily family hour for this. It has brought us together and made us even closer."

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  • "I’ve learned to regulate myself and to be aware when I find myself in a state of stress."

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  • "I realized how to breathe to calm down, how the brain works in a stressful situation."

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  • "We don’t know if the future exists and the past is already gone. This helps us to stay present in the moment and focus on being well."

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  • "Wow! For me, this training happened amidst a lot of stress. I could calm down and connect to reality with a fresh attitude. I can remain calmer and be willing to face what is happening."

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  • "This was so so good, so practical. Like a breath. A pause. We are so busy and the work is so heavy, life is so heavy. We need this."

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  • "Since I started using the exercises, I get irritated much less often. I better control my anger."

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  • “I am an IDP. My mom and I lost everything and started a new life but my mom still cries at night. After the sessions, I’ve learned to calm my mom down. We became closer and started communicating more with each other.”

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  • “I didn’t know before that the body is closely connected to emotions.”

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  • "This just opened up whole world in a sense. I can use these exercises and not have to go through a downward spiral or feel victim to whatever I’m experiencing."

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WHERE WE WORK

First Aid Arts curriculum is available in 8 languages. Our partner facilitators run the Responder Program in more than 70 countries worldwide.

PARTNER

OUR CORE PROGRAM

The First Aid Arts Responder Program is an eight-session expressive arts intervention that promotes positive psychosocial well-being and resilience by fostering emotional regulation, interpersonal skills, and self-awareness.

JOIN US

120-minute sessions of structured activities

Psychoeducation & art-based tools

Led by trained facilitators

WE TRAIN PEOPLE JUST LIKE YOU TO CREATE A WORLD WHERE WOUNDED HEARTS HEAL BEAUTIFULLY.

Attend a training
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FAA Online Intro Workshop

An educational and participatory online workshop for care providers. Learn more of the science behind arts-based trauma care.

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Responder Training

Our Responder training provides a thorough introduction to trauma and the arts while equipping responders to use the First Aid Arts Toolkit to care for themselves and others. 

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Facilitator Training

Our Facilitator training is an advanced course for First Aid Arts Responders who want to move beyond individual interventions to facilitating Responder Groups in their own context or community.

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Program Partner Trainings

We equip organizations to implement and measure complete evidence-based psycho-social support programs for specific populations. 

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Workshops for the Workplace

Bring our expertise to your workplace. We help your team members cope with toxic stress for better mental health & enhanced performance.

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Founded in 2010, First Aid Arts is a global leader in arts-based tools and training for building resilience and addressing the impacts of toxic stress and trauma. Expert-advised and endorsed materials are specifically designed for use by lay care providers for self-care and support of others through one-on-one and group-based activities. Research demonstrates the unique power of the arts to meaningfully engage across culture, language, and age. In response to toxic or traumatic stress, the brain responds by entering survival mode, resulting in critical thinking centres of the brain “going offline”. This can limit the effectiveness of talk therapy or other traditional interventions that require access to executive functioning. As a body-based resource, the expressive arts are an effective tool for regulating the central nervous system, calming the body, and integrating the parts of the brain that are impacted by stress and trauma. The collaborative nature of the arts provides opportunities for developing interpersonal skills and improving relationships, both critical elements for strengthening individual and community resilience.

-Unicef Case Study (2019)